Pneumatic cash-carrier apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. L. GIVEN.

, PNEUMATIC CASH CARRIER APPARATUS. N0. eee lso.

Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

N. PETERS, Phulo-Ulhogmphcn Wnshmglom n. c.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' J. L. GIVEN. PNEUMATIC CASH CARRIER APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 25

N. PETERS. PhnIo-Lilhngruphr. Washington. 0. c.

ATENT trier.

JOHN L. GIVEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACIIL SETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE METEOR DESPATCI-I COMPANY, OF PORT- LAND, MAINE.

PNEUMATIC CASH-CARRIER APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,180, dated December 2 5, 1888.

I Application filed October 15, 1887. Serial No. 252,478- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN L. GIVEN, of Bos ton, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Cash- Carrier Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists, in combination said tube, all substantially as hereinafter fully described.

The invention also consists, in combination with a pneumatic lube for the transmission of a carrier or other article thm'ethrough, having a valve or gate between the operating-bellows or other air-motor, and saidpneuniatic tube arranged to be operated to open and close communication between said tube and the air-n1otor by mechanism constructed and arranged to be operated by an electromagnet in an elm-trio circuit when the carrier or other article arrives at any desired point at or near or is delivered at the delivery end of said tube, of certain construction and arrangement of parts for the proper operation thereof, all substantially as hereinafter fully described; and the invention also consists, in combination with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a carrier or other article having an opening in said tube for the insertion into or removal from said tube of a carrier or other article, of a valve or door arranged within said tube and adapted to open and close said opening, and arranged and adapted to beheld in its closed position by or from the pressure of air within said tube and to be opened by gravity or spring or otherwise, all substantially as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings is illustrated the present invention, Figure 1 representing in side elevation a pneumatic tube for the transmission of a carrier or other article therethrough, arranged between two stations and arranged to be operated by means of a steam-engine and. an air-blower, showing parts in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation and section of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1, but in different positions. Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a detail crosssection on line r. 4-, Fig. 2. Figs. 5, (i, and 7 are detail side views of the tube, with some of the operating parts in different positions in each view; Figs. 8, S), and 10, cross-sections on line 8 8, Fig. 5, but showing the parts in different positions, to be hereinafter referred to. Figs. 11.1 and 12 are detail vertical cent :11 sections of the delivery end of the pneumatic tube, with the parts in two different positions; Fig. 13,21 detail vertical central section of the upper end of the tube at the delivery end on a line at right angles to Fig. ll; l ig. 1-1, a crossscction on line 14 14-, Fig. 12. Figs. 15 and iii are diagrams representing the manner of making the electric circuits.

In the drawings, A represents a pneumatic tube for the transmission of acarrier or other article from one end or station, E, to the other end or station, (1.

D is the table or sales-counter, &c., at each end of the tube at the two stations B C. This tube is connected by a pipe, E, to and communicates with a wind chest or reservoir, F, having conmnmication at G with an airblower, ll, its, operating pulley J being connected to the driving-pulley K of a steamenginc. The steam-engine L and the airblower H can be of any suitable construction and connected together for operation in any suitablemanner, the object being to supply and force air into the reservoirFand through the pneumatic tube A for the purpose of transmitting a carrier or other article from the station E to the station C.

M is an opening in the side of the pneumatic tube A at the receiving end or sendingstation B for the insertion of the carrier or other article into the pneumatic tube for its transmission from such end through the pneumatic tube to be delivered at another or similar opening, N, in the delivery end 0 of the tube. The opening M has a door, P, hinged at a to the side of the tube an d adapted to swing horizontally thereon and to close and open said opening, and when closed to be secured by a spring-catcl1,b, secured to the tube and catching over the edge (I of the door.

Q is a valve or gate adapted to move up and down in guideways e in and across the pipe E, near the reservoir, and when down to close the pipe E to the passage of air through it from the reservoir to the pneun'latic lube, and when up to allow the passage of air therethrough.

Attached to the top of the valve Q is a vertical rod or bar, R, having on one side a toothed rack, f, the bar moving up and down with the valve and guided in such movement-s by a guide-plate, g, secured to the support b of the reservoir.

T is a pulley secured to a horizontal shaft, U, said shaft being arranged to turn in bearings h on the top of the reservoir and carrying on its other end a pulley, V. The pulley T connects by a belt, on, with a smaller pulley, \V, on a shaft, \V, having another pulley, which connects by a belt, NV, with a. pulley, \V", on the engine-shaft \V, and the pulley V connects by a belt, 02, with a larger pulley, Y, secured on the end of a horizontal shaft, Z, turning in bearings in the support S, and carrying on its other end a gear-wheel, A, which gear-wheel is in the same vertical plane with the rack-bar R and in such position that the rack-bar can engage with the gear-wheel when desired. This gear-wheel is loose on the shaft Z, so that it freely turns thereon, and is between two disks, B (1, one, B, of which is seen red rigidly to the shaft and the other, C, is adapted to fit a square portion, 1), of the shaft, so that it can move back and forth thereon, but to turn with it, and is held against the gear-wheel A, and the gear-wheel against the disk B, by a spiral spring, q, encircling the shaft Z and abutting against said disk C and a flange, S, on the shaft Z. The two disks B C have on their faces contiguous to the gear-Wheel an elastic or yielding material, 1", like felt or india-rubber or any suitable material that will make a strong frictional contact with the gear wheel. The gear-wheel revolves with the disks, and if the rack -bar is engaged therewith it will be raised, and consequently, raise and open the valve, Q, which, when fully open, is stopped from further movement by its abutment in its guideway, which holds the rack-bar from further movement, and consequently the gearwheel stationary, such resistance overcoming its friction with the disks, and it continues so until the rack-bar is disengaged from it, when the valve will fall and close its opening, and the gear-wheel again revolve with its disks ready for another operation on the valve through the rack-bar, as before. This arrangement of the gear-wheel connection. with its shaft prevents injury to the several parts, as would be the case if the gear-wheel was rigidly attached to the shaft and revolved after the valve was raised fully.

The tube A is enlarged somewhat at its delivery end (1 and made square in cross-section for a portion. of its length, as at I), the delivery-openingNbeing in the front side of such portion, and it is adapted to be opened and closed by a door or valve, F, which is hinged to and within the tube at i, at or near the lower edge of the opening, in such manner that it will swing back on its hinge by its gravity into an inclined position within the chamber of said portion of the tube to open the opening N, as shown in section in Fig. 11, it then being in its normal position. The tube A extends up above the delivery-opening N and is closed at its upper end, havinga small central vertical opening, a, through which projects a central upright metallic stem, 0., of a piston or head, G, adapted to move up and down within the tube, but limitedin its downward movement by the cross pin "LL' in the stem 1', which abuts against the outer end of the tube, and in its upward moven'ient by the abutment of the head against the end of the tube. When the piston-head is up in the position shown in Figs. 11 and 13, its stem 1 is between and bears against two vertical springmetal arms, a and I), secured to the upper end of the tube, as shown more particularly in Fig. 13, and when down it is free from contact with such spring-arms.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 2-3 is an electroanagnet, 11, attached to the support S, and J is its armature, pivoted at 11 to the support S and arranged to be operated by its magnet II, as usual. The armature .l extends below the magnet H, and is. adapted by a side projecting arm, (1, carrying a friction-roller, d, to

bear against the back edge of the rack-bar R, which rack-bar is held against such arm 0 by a flat spring, e, secured to the guide-bar g and bearing by its free end against the teeth f of the rack-bar R, the armature being prevented from movement too far backward by the almtment or shoulder g of the support.

In Figs. 5 to 10, K is an electroanagnet secured to a board or support, L, on the back side of the tube A at the receiving end or station of the pneumatic tube, and M. is its armature, pivoted at h to a bracket, m, of the board L, and arranged and adapted to swing thereon to and away from the magnet, as usual. This armature M has a horizontal arm, a, which extends back to and passes freely through an opening, q, in a horizontal arm or rod, r, pivoted by an elongated slot, 15, to a pin, a, on the board and adapted to swing horizontally thereon, its en d r projecting through a slot,-'w, in a horizontal sleeve, N, secured to the board L and projecting to the front of the tube A at the side of the opening M, as shown in said figures.

ICO

P is a rod arranged to slide back and forth within the sleeve N and projecting therefrom a short distance and controlled as to the length of its movements by a cross-pin, a projecting into slots Z) in the sleeve-tube N.

c is a spiral spring surrounding the sleeve N and bearing by one end on the board L and by its other end against the pin a of the rod P, which acts to hold the rod forward so far as the slots b will permit. The end 1: of the rod 1', connected to the armature M, bears against and lies in the notch or shoulder e on the inner end of the rod P, as shown in Fig. 8, in which position the armature is away or disconnected from its magnet K, as shownin said figure and Fig. 5.

Attached to theboa-rd L are twotlat springmetal pieces, f g on opposite sides of the rod 7', their free ends extending toward each other and to and over the red, one, f between the rod and the piece 9 their free ends being out of contact with each other when in their normal positions. These springs f g are two electrodes, one, f connecting by a wire, 7L2, with one pole, and the other, g by a wire, m through the electro-magnet H, with the opposite pole, of an electric battery. The two spring-arms 0. b on the upper end ot' the pneumatic tube are also electrodes, one, a, connecting by a wire, n through the electromagnet K, with one pole, and the other, I), by a wire, qiwith the other pole, of an electric battery. W hen the stem r of the piston-head G is in contact with the arms a I), as shown in Figs. 11 and 13, the electric circuit is made, and when the electrodes f and g are placed in contact with each other, as shown in Fig. '7, its electric circuit is made. These electrodes a l) and f g are properly insulated on their respective supports in any of the usual ways.

tially as follows: The carrier Q, &c., is placed within the tube at the receiving-station at the opening M, and the door P closed and locked by its spring-catch b. On this door is a shoulder, T in position when the door is closed to abut against the outer end of the rod P and push the same along its sleeve N against its spring 0 which pushes the arm r, connected to the armature M of the electro-magnet K, into the position shownin Fig. 9, which also moves the electrode f into contact with the other electrode, 9 as shown in Figs. 7 and 9 more particularly, which makes the circuit complete between these two electrodes f and g and the electro-magnet II, which magnet then attracts the armature J and moves the rack-barR into connection by its teeth with the gear-wheel A, which, revolvin from the operation of the engine, acts to raise the rack-bar and opens the gate or valve, so that air will then pass from the blower to the pneumatic tube and force the carrier along to and finally deliver it at the delivery-opening N. As the carrier Q is forced and moves along the tube the air in secured to the board L. now opened, the spring 0 forces the pin or The operation of the apparatusis substanfront of it is also forced along, which presses against the gate or valve F and closes it, as shown in Fig. 12, and the carrier in its continued movement passes by the gate or valve, and,striking against the piston-head G, forces it upward and its stem 0 in contact with the two spring electrodcs a and 1), making the electric circuit with the electro magnet K, which, attracting its armature M, moves the rod or bar 2" longitudinally back from its engagement with the shoulder e oi the springrod P, as shown in Fig. 10, which rod 0" is then pre..;ed back laterally by the spring power of the electrode f which also moves back and breaks its contact with its other electrode, 9 breaking the electric circuit with the electro-magnet ll and releasing-its armature J", which in. turn allows the rack-bar R to move back by its spring 6 and disengage itself from the gear-wheel A, and with its gate or valve Q fall and close the pipe E to the passage of air from the blower to the pneumatic tube. To prevent air passing through the pi'ieun'iatic tube, the gate or valve F at the delivery end 0 falls back by its gravity into the position shown in Fig. ll, and the carrier, which is at the upper end of the tube, as shown in said figure, then falls onto the gate or valve F, and by it is guided and'passes out at the opening N, as shown in said figure in dotted lines, and with a very small amount of mom entum ,and drops quietly onto the table at such end. of the tube. As the carrier falls the piston-head G falls also by its gravity, breaking contact with the electrodes a. and b, and breakin g the circuit with the electro-magnet K,which releases its armanlature M, which is moved back therefrom by the spring 1 attached toits upper end and If the door P. is

rod P forward into its normal position, allowing the arm r, by the force of the spring 2?, connected to the armature M, to move back longitudinally toward the rod P into its position shown in Fig. 8, ready for operation,'as before, when a carrier isinserted and the door P closed.

To allow for the escape o1. air from the pneumatic tube when a carrier is being transmitted therethrough, the door or gate F bcing closed, an escape-pipc, T, is arranged above the opening N, as shown, which can lead away from the tube, so that the cscape of the air therefrom will not be objectionable.

In operation ol' this pneu1natic-tube-carrier apparatus it is intended that the air-blowing apparatus shall be at work constantly; but in such case it is desirable that air shall only pass to and through the pneumatic tube when a carrier or other article is being transmitted therethrough, so that it will not blow out at the openings, which is obj ectionable. There fore the present invention has this important advantage, that the air is shut 01f automatically from the pneumatic tube the instant the carrier arrives at the desired point in the pneumatic tube for its delivery therefrom, so that while the pneumatic tube is not in use air will not pass to or through the pneumatic tube, and also by the closing of the valve at the delivery-opening while the carrier is moving along the tube air will not pass out at such opening; also, by the use of the piston-head G, when the carrier is delivered, its momentum will have been so m ueh destroyed thatit will fall lightly upon the table; also, by operating the gear-wheel by a yielding connection its action upon the rack-bar valve ceases when it is Fully raised and open, preventing injury to the parts. The valve Q is weighted, as at R, to insure its falling and closing when its rack-bar is disengaged from its gear-wheel A, although it can be operated by a spring or in any suitable manner.

Fig. 15 represents the manner of making the electric circuit with the magnet H and the electrodes f and g and F 16 represents the electric circuitwith the magnet K and its electrodes a and 1').

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination,with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough 01: a carrier or other article, of a valve in the connecting tube or passage between the pneumatic tube and an air-motor, having a rack-bar arranged to engage and disengage with a gear-wheel and to be operated by an electro-magnet to engage with said gear-wheel, For the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrougl'i of a carrier or other article, of a valve in the connecting tube or passage between the pneumatic tube and an air-motor, having a rackbar arranged to engage and disengage with a gear-wheel and to be operated by an electro-magnet for it to be disengaged from said wheel. by a spring or otl'ie'li'wise, for the purpose specified.

The combinaiion, with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a carrier or other article, of a valve in the connecting tube or passage between the pneumatic tube and an air-motor, having a rackbar arranged to engage and disengage with a gear-wheel and to be operated by an electro-magnet for it to be disengaged from said gear-wheel by a spring or otherwise, the electric circuit being made by the carrier or other article it arrives at some desired point at or near the delivery end of the pneumatic tube.

4. The combination, with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a carrier or other article and a valve in the connecting tube or passage between said tube and an air-motor, having a rack-bar arranged to engage and disengage with a gear-wheel and.

to be operated by an electro-magnet, of a carrier arranged to travel along said tube and make the electric circuit, for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a carrier or other article, and a valve between said tube and an. air-motor, having a rack-bar arranged to engage and disengage with a gearwheel and to be operated by an electro-magnet, of a door or cover to an opening in the pneumatic tube arranged to make the electric circuit, for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a carrier or other article, of a valve in the connecting tube or passage between the pneumatic tube and air-motor, having a rack-bar arranged to engage and disengage with a gear-wheel to be operated by an electro-magnet for it to be disengaged from said gearwheel by a spring or otherwise, the electric circuit being made by the carrier or other article as it arrives at some desired point at or near the delivery end or said tube, acting upon or against a piston-head arranged to move in said tube, for the purpose specified.

Z. The combination, with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a carrier or other article, having an opening for the delivery thereat of a carrier or other article, of a door or valve to said opening, arranged to open inward into an inclined position across the tube, makingaguide or switch for the discharge of the carrier or other article at said opening.

8. The combination, with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a carrier or other article, of a valve between said tube and an air-motor, arranged and adapted to be operated by mechanism operated by an electro magnet, and a carrier arranged to travel along said pneumatic tube and make the electric circuit, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the i'iresence of two si'ibscribing witnesses.

JOHN 'L. GIVEN.

\Vitnesses:

EDWINWV. BROWN, GEO; B. KELLY. 

